“Where is she?” Kelton asked. “This won’t take long.”
My heartbeat shot off the charts. If I snuck out, I’d put Dillon in a tough spot. Or Kelton and Dillon would end up in a fight. I finished my business and washed my hands.
“Kel, Mom is expecting us for dinner.”
“Chill, Kross.” Kelton’s tone was equal parts determination and frustration.
Damn cockroach wasn’t leaving. We’d see about that. I steeled my shoulders then walked out and took up a post in the doorway of the kitchen.
“What card game are you playing?” Kross asked.
“Five-card draw,” I said as I set my sights on Kelton, sizing him up from head to toe. My stomach went crazy, spinning in all different directions.
He was dressed in a tailored black suit, a killer blue shirt that enhanced the color of his eyes, and a silver monogrammed tie that hung loose around his neck. He’d finally had his doodling turned into artwork. Whenever Kelton had been bored in class he’d scribbled in his notebook, in particular the initials KM and the number five. A thread of sadness hit me at how much family meant to him and how I wanted to be part of his. That won’t happen now.
“Since when do you play poker?” Kelton bore his gaze into me, soft and apologetic.
“What do you want?” I asked, rooted to my spot. I was a second away from throwing myself at him.
As if he knew what I was thinking, he smirked like an asswipe.
“I want to talk to you without you running away,” he said.
Like you run from your feelings? “I don’t have time. I got a poker game to prepare for.” I shoved my trembling hands into the pocket of my sweatshirt.
Kross shuffled the cards expertly, the sound snapping my attention away from the Adonis. “You play?”
“I can hold my own.” A fresh scar on Kross’s right hand caught my eye as he shuffled again.
“Don’t you have to be home for dinner?” Dillon asked in a sarcastic tone, glowering at Kelton.
“Not the poker game?” Kelton’s sexy grin became cold and intense.
I should just tell him. So he could leave. The longer we bantered, the longer he stayed, breaking through my already-weak defenses. “After talking with Mr. Davenport, it would be quicker to get Terrance to turn over all the financial documents. And since he’s hard to find and the lawyers can’t even get him on the phone, my only chance is to corner him at this poker game.” I knew he wouldn’t have my documents with him. But I had to give it my best shot to plead with him to give them to me or at least cooperate with the lawyers.
Fury reddened Kelton’s handsome face as he turned to Dillon. “You’re letting her go into an underground poker game?”
“If you’re here to talk,” I said, “then do so. The poker game is not your concern.”
Kelton opened the top two buttons of his shirt. “How the hell are you going to play poker when the major part of the game is bluffing? You give yourself away all the time by playing with your necklace and your earring. And by chewing your nails.”
I was getting better, thanks to Dillon.
“Say your piece then go,” Dillon spat.
“Shut up,” Kelton growled.
Dillon pushed off the sink. Kross jumped up from the table just as fast.
I marched over to Dillon and laid my hand on his taut bicep. “Can you give us a minute?”
He shook his head at Kelton. “I’d throw you out with my bare hands if it weren’t for Lizzie.” He eyed me. “We have work to do. Please make it quick. And there’s a Taser in the kitchen drawer.”
Kelton laughed as though daring me to use the Taser. I didn’t want any violence, and something told me that Kelton didn’t either. Maybe it was the contentment written all over his face, a vast difference from when I’d last seen him at Rumors. Fatherhood agreed with him.
Kross said, “Bro, you didn’t come here to get into a fight. As Dillon said, say your piece quickly. I’ll call Mom and let her know we’re going to be late.”
Kross disappeared down the hall, but Dillon hesitated before he reluctantly stalked out.
“What’s your problem?” I anchored myself to the counter near the fridge. “You said you didn’t want any trouble, but you’re acting like an asshat.”
Kelton gripped a lock of his hair. “Because you’re walking into danger with that poker game. I can’t let you do that.”
Whether I loved Kelton or not, the man wasn’t going to boss me around. “You can’t tell me what to do.”
Calmly, coolly, and evenly, he said, “I can. I don’t let people I love walk into danger.”
“Why would you… Wait? What?”
He pushed off the island, wiping his hands on his suit pants. “Baby doll.” He blew out a breath as he came up to me. “From the moment I saw you in the fifth grade until this very moment standing here, I’ve never stopped loving you.”
My lungs seized. My brain went blank, until I thought of Chloe. I frowned. “But you’re going to be a daddy.”
He walked away, seemingly irritated all of a sudden.